Luis Clarke admitted to two sexual encounters with the girl

Published April 25, 2019•Updated on April 26, 2019 at 7:01 pm

A former youth pastor from Pembroke Pines, Florida, is facing charges of sexually battering a minor, and police are concerned there may be other victims.

Luis Clarke, 38, was arrested Thursday weeks after the victim reported to police that Clarke began a "coercive sexual relationship" with her by threatening to turn her family into immigration officials.

Clarke assaulted the girl from March 2016 to March 2017 when she was 15 years old, Pembroke Pines Police said.

The victim alleged Clarke sexually battered her at his home on NW 143rd Avenue, police said. Another victim, who was 15 years old at the time, told investigators when he witnessed Clarke battering the girl, set off his home alarm system to keep both from leaving his residence.

When Clarke was taken into police custody, he admitted to several of the crimes and also admitted to other crimes involving the first victim in other jurisdictions, police said.

Clarke was a part-time youth pastor of Abraza tu Sueño Church on Pines Boulevard, which is no longer in operation as of 2018. Police are concerned there may be other victims and ask parents to speak to their children.

Clarke has been charged with 25 counts of false imprisonment, sexual battery of a minor, promoting sexual performance by a child and lewd and lascivious exhibition and is in Broward County jail without bond, online records show. Attorney information was not available.